fishermenschapel

The Fishermen's Chapel, New Road, Leigh-on-Sea

Join us for a service

Great news – the Fishermen’s Chapel returned to a service every week from September 2023, when Heather was appointed to be our minister. The pattern is now as follows:

First Sunday of the month: Communion service, 9.30am

Our beautiful family service that includes Holy Communion is for all those who like to deepen their faith in a symbolic way that is steeped in history. We spend time: in prayer; listening to the Bible; having a short reflection from our minister; singing hymns modern and traditional; and sharing the Lord’s supper of bread and wine ( non-alcoholic). Everyone is welcome to join us at the table, however if you prefer a just a blessing or to remain seated that is fine too. To share in the sacraments is a transforming act which is so special – it can give great comfort and peace in our restless and challenging world.

Second Sunday of the month: Gospel service with the Fishermen’s Chapel Gospel Choir and the Monday singers, 7.30pm. Doors open from 7 for refreshments.

Third Sunday of the month: Anchored (our cafe-style service with opportunities to be creative, ask questions, and put our faith into practice). Time change to 7.30 pm, but please make sure you receive our regular emails for details of any changes to this.

Fourth Sunday of the month: Mindfulness, 7.30 pm.

Fifth Sunday of the month (when there is one): United service with other Leigh-on-Sea Methodist churches.

Gospel service

Our Gospel services, on the second Sunday of the month, are now taking place in the Chapel once again. The service features the Fishermen’s Chapel Gospel Choir, the Monday Singers, and a time when we share acts of kindness we have experienced. Feel free to arrive from 7 for refreshments, with the service itself starting at 7.30pm.

At Gospel Vespers we will now be collecting donations for Southend Foodbank. See here for the items that they really need (avoid pasta and baked beans!)

We’d love new people to join the Gospel Choir too – ask Heather for details at one of our services.

Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness is now every 4th Sunday of the month, 7.30pm at the Chapel.

An opportunity to take time out to be still.

Please do tell anyone who might find this a helpful session to attend.

Anchored

Anchored has returned to the Fishermen’s Chapel. It was brilliant to have so many people at our first event on Sunday 17 September for discussion about ‘gifts’, including a mini cartoon workshop, and a prayer and gift-wrapping activity.

We’re generally meeting at the new time of 7.30 until 8.30 on the third Sunday of the month, (the time being in line with our other services), but please make sure you are signed up to our monthly emails to get the details about each session, as we may occasionally meet at a different time.

‘What on earth is Anchored?’, we hear you ask (especially as the flyer is remarkably vague…). Well, it will be different things different months, but essentially we’ll be exploring Christian faith through creative activities, asking questions, practical action, film, food, and anything else we think of. This month (September), Dave will introduce a short and very undemanding cartoon-based activity, we’ll read the Bible together (nothing too lengthy), have a chat and a chance to ask questions, and Eleanor will lead us in creative prayer. There are also rumours (unsubstantiated) of posh biscuits…

Anchored is suitable for all ages. Do come along, or if you have any questions ask us on our social media pages.

 

New members welcome!

Photo by David Shields. Come and join us – we’ve got plenty of coat hooks!

It’s always great to welcome new members to the Fishermen’s Chapel.

We’d love it if more people joined the Chapel too! To find out how to get involved at the Fishermen’s Chapel and what it means to become a member, please see this page.

To keep up to date with all events at the Chapel please sign up to our newsletter.

Coffee mornings – every Wednesday

Our weekly coffee gathering is every Wednesday morning at 10.30am. Come along for coffee, flapjack, and a chat. Over the summer we have been meeting at Belfairs cafe – please see our Facebook page every Wednesday morning or contact us for location info.

If there’s any change to this details will be on our Facebook page. If you can’t see this for any reason please let us know and we can notify you another way. Everyone is welcome – please come along!

Serendipity Sounds sound bath events

Fiona Tudor-Tompkins leads regular ‘sound bath’ Sound Healing Therapy sessions at the Fishermen’s Chapel – check Fiona’s Instagram or our email newsletter or social media for the date of the next one.

Monthly sound bath – general info

There will be refreshments (for a donation) after the session.
Doors typically open 6.30 pm and we start at 7.00 pm, but please check the individual event.
The session will be about one to one and a half hours, sound bath with half hour for tea or chai and a chat afterwards.

Please be sure to let Fiona know in advance if you are coming, and bring mats, blankets, and a cushion or two if you need them.

You can find out more and all details below. Any questions – please contact Fiona via the numbers / email address below.

Natural Healing Therapy – Serendipity Sounds

Hello, my name is Fiona. I am a retired Occupational Therapist and a Registered British Assoc and Psychotherapy (BACP) Counsellor.
In my working practice, I provided many Relaxation Programmes, to clients with various Health Conditions. To tailor to individual needs and develop my practice, I began researching into other types of Therapies that would complement the Relaxation and Healing processes. With a strong interest in music, the use of Sound for Healing really appealed, especially as Sound Healing is now being acknowledged scientifically and has been used for thousands of years within different cultures around the world.

Sound Healing is a branch of the Meditative Therapeutic Arts; it is one of the top Wellness trends at the moment.

Sound Healing can be defined as the intentional use of sound to create a vibrational environment which becomes a catalyst in the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual aspects of our being. Sound is used to realign the body’s vibration. These vibrations can also affect your brainwave frequencies
Mark Menolascino, MD explains that “everything in the universe has a vibrational frequency… Those vibrations interact with every cell in your body.” In other words, the vibrations made by instruments or vocals can actually interact with your body’s cells to create specific results: in this case, to encourage healing.
While more research is needed to establish just how effective Sound Healing Therapy can be, so far there is plenty of evidence suggesting it is an effective option to help people suffering from pain injury or stress, reduce low mood – depression and anxiety.
Even without science of sound of vibrations, there’s also evidence that sound baths and music therapy can be effective for healing as it encourages your body into the parasympathetic state, in this state our bodies produce nitric oxide which open blood vessels and increases efficiency of our cells and regulates blood pressure. It helps stimulate the immune system. Sound healing can bring about a balancing and harmonising of the body’s energy systems.
Here at Serendipity Sounds, a selection of sound is created through Crystal singing bowls, Tibetan bowls, chimes, gongs and occasionally the addition of stringed instruments.

It is excellent for managing stress and improves your overall wellbeing
It is a space where you can come to quieten the distractions of your physical environment
It is a space where you can immerse your whole Self, Body, Mind and Soul
It is a space where you can turn off your Brains distractive thoughts

There will be opportunities for you to attend a variety of venues at Sharon of Scents and Serenity or at the Fisherman’s Chapel in Leigh-on –Sea, or The Bay – Free Spirit Studio in Thorpe Bay. I would love to share this wonderful experience with you and look forward to meeting you.
For enquiries please contact Fiona on: 01702 304479 / 07809153952
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serendipitysounds4u/
Email: serendipitysounds4u@gmail.com

The Fishermen’s Chapel Gospel Choir

Looking for something different to do this year? Why not join our Fishermen’s Chapel Gospel Choir, singing traditional gospel music at the Chapel? Rehearsals are every Tuesday evening in the downstairs room, 7-8pm. Contact Heather for more details, 07879 232231. There is a new Facebook page for the Gospel Choir here: Fishermen’s Chapel Gospel Choir – Facebook.

The choir sings at our ‘Gospel Vespers’ service every month.

The Chapel Volunteer Jobs Board

Most of the activities at the Fishermen’s Chapel are only possible because of the work of a team of volunteers. Could you help us out? Here are some of the latest jobs that we could do with some help with. All roles are voluntary. There are more jobs to be added, so do check back! To volunteer for any of these roles please contact us via email, or talk to us in person at a Wednesday coffee morning or another event. If you have any questions – do ask. Thank you!

Coffee morning refreshments
Setting up, serving and clearing away refreshments at our lovely sociable Wednesday coffee mornings. These take place every Wednesday from 10 until 12. You don’t have to bake flapjack (though we can give you the recipe if you want to!).

Chair stacker
We need someone to help stack and unstack chairs before and after the Sound Bath sessions that happen in the Chapel once a month.

Painters
There are quite often painting jobs that we need volunteers for in the Chapel. Could you come and join a painting party?

Reserve pianist
We are looking for someone who could play the piano occasionally at Sunday morning services when required. Would need to be happy playing hymns, and be confident sight-reading.

Leaflet deliverers
We deliver leaflets to people in the streets around the Chapel before our Artisan markets, special events, and at Christmas, etc. We could do with some help delivering leaflets. As much or as little as you can do – it all helps.

Do you have other skills that you’d be willing to use at the Chapel? Please let us know!

Our mission

The Fishermen’s Chapel is a mission-led church that aims to respond to God’s love already present in the community. 

We are doing this by welcoming everyone, and in particular by supporting three different groups of people:

Artists and Musicians

Leigh-on-Sea is a community filled with artist and musicians who have been badly affected by the pandemic. The nature of self-employment can be isolating and sometimes financially and spiritually demanding. Our chapel offers the walls of the Community Room to display (free of charge) local artists work and endeavours to promote the artists using social media. We also support local musicians and actors by keeping our rents very affordable for hiring the room. We have a band, The Daisy Bowlers, who perform from time to time donating all the ‘teapot’ collections to local charities. We also run a free to attend gospel choir and  weekly coffee morning where we encourage a time of getting together and support. 

HARP

At our very popular monthly Gospel Service, supported by The Fishermen’s Chapel Gospel Choir and The Monday Singers, we ask everyone to bring food/toiletries to the service. These gifts are then delivered by volunteers to HARP ( a local homeless charity).

People with Anxiety/ Depression/ Panic Attacks

We looked into what our Leigh-on-Sea community was struggling with and we noticed that many people were stressed by the high pressure jobs and lives they lead. In response we now hold a monthly Mindfulness and Meditation time. This is free to attend and is open to everyone of all faiths or none. We have had had lovely feedback about the sessions and how welcoming and supportive they are. We also have useful contacts of counsellors should anyone need more professional help. We also hold Sound Bath events, run by Fiona Tudor-Tomkins.

If you would like to attend or further support any of these groups please get in touch or come along to any of our services or events – ALL are welcome.